Mid-Major studs head 2091 rookie class
By "Chris Allen"

Off-Season 2091 (New York, NY) - All throughout the offseason, and especially at the 2091 combine, the young rookies looking for jobs in the USAFL have heard the criticisms.

'Nobody wants to come forward and say it to our faces.' Boise State defensive tackle Greg Collins remarked. 'We get the pats on the back when we do well at the combine but then we get trashed in all the publications.'

Collins, who was the star of the national champion Broncos, is expected to not fall out of the top 2 spots.

'I've seen all the other rookies that have come and gone throughout the years, but I think I can match any of the great defensive linemen in league history. There's some big shoes to fill, but I, and my Broncos, have all been about proving people wrong.'

South Florida offensive lineman Cedric Petty echoed Collins' sentiments.

'Just because the top two players in the draft are from mid-majors, doesn't mean this draft's weak.'

Petty, like Collins, expressed some brash qualities, but Petty saved his for his fellow rookie offensive linemen.

'They look like they've eaten a few too many cakes. I may not be the fastest swimmer in the pool, but at least I wasn't suckin' any wind by the time my 40 was completed. They're gettin' a bit too fat, those majors. No wonder Boise State won it all and we finished #5 in the polls.'

While Collins and Petty are considered two of the best prospects in this draft, many general managers in the USAFL have made several moves to try to move out of the 2091 draft. The Baltimore Ravens were able to trade out of this draft, and the Houston Texans were able to trade three of their picks.

'This just isn't that deep of a draft.' an unnamed insider said. 'We've been wrong before, but there's a lot of guys that would normally be projected as a late second, early third round pick that would probably be taken as early as the late first round.'

With not much time left until the 2091 draft, this is how USA Today projects the top 5:

1) Houston Texans - OL Cedric Petty(6'2' 299 lbs - South Florida) - While this undersized offensive lineman wasn't that impressive with his 40 time, he's extremely strong and missed almost no time as a four year starter. Would Houston be willing to take a chance? Their young offensive line is starting to emerge.

2) Philadelphia Eagles - DL Greg Collins(6'1' 303 lbs - Boise State) - Looks like a fire hydrant, but moves and hits like a fire truck. The Eagles are looking to replace Dwayne Keever and Collins would be a perfect fit. However, don't be surprised if Houston takes him, as their young offensive line is starting to gel.

3) Detroit Lions - OL Steve Cadrez(6'2' 304 lbs - Arkansas) - The Lions are definitely looking to improve on their offensive line, which had given up 89 sacks in the 2090 season. Cadrez looks like he'll be a natural tackle in the USAFL, but he needs to address his endurance issues first.

4) Houston Texans - LB Hiram Conover(5'11' 231 lbs - Virginia Tech) - Conover is the best of another relatively forgettable class of linebackers. However, he should blossom amongst the group of young Houston linebackers. Scouts were impressed with his solid all-around play at the college level, and he should easily be able to adapt to any role the Texans will be giving him.

5) Miami Dolphins - OL Chad Ayers(6'1' 308 lbs - Colorado) - The Dolphins offensive linemen are getting up there in age, and a guy like Chad Ayers would be perfect to learn behind their veterans. Ayers is very adaptable on the offensive line, as he shifted his role on the line at the college game as the situation called for. His endurance isn't as bad as some of the other top offensive linemen in this draft, and is more than capable of being a starter with a great strength training camp.